The Dillon tribune., 1887-02-11
CHATTER Nv.

ing flung hFSell do"' Hi|''' ~ ~. i.
blankets OF the cot. in utter exhaustion u
mind and body. Nature, helieilt"nt ever ="
youth and health, at once orc" Ii.e kindly
v,,rto;n ,,s slcep. and the world and its woes
became oblivion. ., -,
Eorlv the next morning the shrill rnveilIe
called for n resumption Of the days activities.
Shc was awakened by the flies screaming
strenuolsly cheerful Jig, but lay for some
minutes without opening her eyes She was
90 nerftrtly healthful in every way that the
tr;iulations of the previous day had left no
other traces than slight weariness. But
every sense began informing her that yester-
DAVIS experience was not q nightmare OF her
sleen. but q waking reality. The morning
SIN was already pouring hot beams upon the
thin roof over her head. Through the wido
cracks in the partition came the groans and
the nouseating odors which had depressed her
80 on the day before. Mingled with these
was tho smell Of spoiled coffee and ill-cooked
food floating in from tho kitchen, where .
detail Of slovenly and untaugbt cooks were
preparing breakfast
She shuddered and opened her eyes.
Tho rude garniture of her room, thickly
covered with coarse dust, and destitute Of
everything to make life comfortable, looked
before.
1T is not possible" she murmurca to her.
self. "that Florence Nightingale and those
who assisted her found their work and its
surroundings as unlovely as it is here.
won't believe it. In Europe things arc lif-
fcrent, and the hospitals are made lifting
places for women to visit ind dwell in.'
It would have helped her much il she could
Ahnk levi, Is..s ift,
which Florence Nightingale woa worldwide
fame, lacked immeasurably tho convcnicnces
and comforts with which American ingen-
uity and lavish generosity lntieatcd some-
what the wrctchedness Of army hospitals.
Lying still becoming unendurablc she rose,
in hopes that action might bring some sort Of
relief. Such plain toilet was made rs the
very limited means ut her command per.
nitted. rhe scant privacy afforded by her
room was another torture. Maiden modesty
suggested P.eping Tom at e,"'' yawn'
ing crack in the p|anAiny
Al last, neat attired in serviccab!e gray
frock. with :; dainty white collar at her
throat, aud her satiny hair brushed smooth
" over her forehead, she opened the door
and stepped out into the main ward room.
A cherry voice behind her said Good
morning" and she turned to meet DR..
Paul Denslow.
GOOD morning, Miss" h- repeated,
as she hcsita,ed. a l:ttle dazed.
"l3ond-Rachel Bonds my name. Good
morning SIR" she answered, putting out
her hand.
As he took It he said: II want To make
an atject apology. We are i'll prepared to
entertain a lady here. and no one knew OF
your coming Du, We certainly intended
to mitigate in some degree the dcsolation
OF the room to which you were conducted
left v.n Tor the purpose of seeing what
the storeroom contained that would con.
tribute trife toward transforming 1t into
| a maiden's bower"
"Cinderclla's fairy sodmother couldn't
have made the transformation with that
room" she said, with little shrug Of des
pair.
"Probablv not--probablv not-and | la,
no claim to even the least Of the power.
exercised bv the old lady with the wand
But allow no man to surpass me III the
matter of good intentions. That is lux
ury oi which the poorest of us can atfort
an abundance, and will not deny myscl
any thing that is so cheap"
! Rachel was beguiled into smiling at hi
merry cynicism.
"Allu>io,,s to the pavement il the un
mcntionabc place are barred in this con
nsc,ion,' he continued gaylv. "On M,
way to carry out these good intentions--a
some one clsr's expense, remember, all III
time Il was called 10 the bedside OF dy
ing man. and detained there sometime
! When at last returned to your roor,,
judged that you were fast asleep, and I d.
cided not to disturb vou.'
II think YOU would have found it a diff
, cult matter to have reused me. la
sunk on the cot, and was sleeping the slee
, !, Of"
|, "rhc just" interpo>ed Dr.. Denslow. "a
lantly.
"Wcll, scientific truth co,npcls the to So
that fatigue is surer and stronger sedasi,
= than clear conscience even. know, {
4 | have occasionally tried a clear conscien'
y only by the way OF experiment, "
:. know" he added, appologetically.
N swell, whatever the cause, was >lcc
d ing as though on downy beds OF ease"
!. "rhcn my mind is lightened Of a mou,
y ain load Of responsibility for having ma
you pass a miserable night. But let's
+, into breakfast. lam opposed to doing ar
.! thing on an empty stonach-even to no
=. ~ ing Il pleasant conversation. 1t invi
malaria, and malaria brings 4 number